Indonesia (the Republic of Indonesia) was established in 1945, it covers an area of 1,904,569 sq km, its population is 210 million, its capital city is Jakarta, and its official language is Indonesian.

October 2005: The Indonesian government banned the operation of 737-200s owing to "safety concerns" in the wake of last month's Mandala Airlines (MND) crash. At the same time, the government banned all airplanes more than 35 years old and/or with more than 70,000 cycles. The crash was the eighth involving Mandala (MND) since 1975 and there have been 74 crashes involving transport airplanes in Indonesia since 1990.

January 2007: ACCDT: RPX Republic Express (REX) 737-230F (238-20256, /70 PK-RPX), at Kuching Airport, Malaysia, inbound from Kuala Lumpur in early morning foggy conditions, landed short of the runway, destroying approach lights and shedding one of its engines. Then the airplane veered off the runway and stopped with the main gear torn off. The flight was operated by Gading Sari Aviation Services, which had wet-leased the airplane from RPX Airlines (REX). The crew of 4 were OK.

March 2007: The Indonesian government announced a ban on commercial airplanes older than 10 years following several mishaps and accidents, the worst of which was the January 2007 crash of a 17-year-old Adam Air (DHI) 737-400 that killed 102. According to the "Associated Press," Transport Minister, Hatta Rajasa insisted the regulation would not require parliamentary approval, but did not indicate when it would go into effect. The current age limit is 20 years. Adam Air (DHI) announced last month, that it intended to lease six A320s and build up a fleet of 30 of the type "over the next five years," replacing the 737s it now operates. New airplanes will be both leased and purchased.

April 2007: The USA (FAA) announced that Indonesia "does not comply with international safety standards set by (ICAO)" and lowered the country's safety rating to Category 2, ruling that it is "no longer overseeing the safety of its airlines in accordance with international standards." The USA State Dept issued its own statement saying that last month's safety assessment conducted by the Indonesian Directorate General of Civil Aviation did not include "detailed methodology supporting the ratings" and that "Americans traveling to and from Indonesia should fly directly to their destinations on international carriers from countries whose civil aviation authorities meet international aviation safety standards."

July 2007: Indonesia and (ICAO) signed a "groundbreaking declaration" in Bali under which Indonesia committed to wide-ranging initiatives to improve the safety of its civil aviation system. The deal comes after the European Union (EU) banned all Indonesian airlines from flying into its airspace. Indonesia will restructure the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, enact the required legal framework for it effectively to meet international safety obligations, ensure the required human and financial resources and correct deficiencies identified by (ICAO)'s Universal Safety Oversight Audit Program and other internal or external audits. (ICAO) said, "Indonesia will also implement a proactive and systemic management of safety to comply, in a verifiable manner, with national requirements and (ICAO) international safety standards and industry best practices. This includes a commitment by government authorities and the local air transport industry to foster transparency and the sharing of safety-related data to support the safety management process, under guidelines established by (ICAO)."

November 2007: The European Commission (EC) issued the sixth update of its airline blacklist, removing Suriname's Blue Wing Airlines and lifting the operating restrictions imposed on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). Both carriers, however, will remain subject to prioritized ramp inspections at Community airports in order to ensure their "consistent adherence" to relevant safety standards. "This latest revision shows that when airlines take rapid and sound corrective action to comply with safety standards, they can be withdrawn from the list quickly," (EC) VP Transport, Jacques Barrot noted. "It also shows that the list increasingly serves as a preemptive, rather than punitive tool for safeguarding aviation safety." He added that relevant oversight authorities verified measures taken by (PIA) and Blue Wing Airlines and "that these measures provide for long-lasting sustainable solutions to avoid the same problems recurring in the future."

August 2008: Indonesia's economy grew +6% (year/year) in the second quarter (Q2).

April 2009: Indonesia's Ministry of Transportation said all airlines based in the country will be required to operate at least 10 airplanes (each) by 2012, at least five of which must be owned. "If not, they will have to shut down or merge with other airlines to meet the quota," a ministry spokesperson told reporters. The rule change (currently Indonesian carriers only have to own two airplanes) is driven by safety concerns. "We want airlines to be financially sound and committed to giving the best in terms of service and safety," the spokesperson said, according to "Agence France Presse."